Campbell's answer, ultimately, is that myths teach meaning.

Mythology explains,
empowers, stabilizes, and elevates the life of a believer from a mundane existence to
one imbued with eternal meaning. On the most basic level, a myth explains a
phenomenon, tradition, place-name, or geological formation but it can also elevate a
past event to epic and even supernatural significance and, most importantly, provide a
role model for one's individual journey through life.

There are many different types of myth but, essentially, they can be grouped into three:

 Etiological Myths
 Historical Myths
 Psychological Myths

Etiological myths (from the Greek aetion meaning `reason') explain why a certain thing
is the way it is or how it came to be. This type of myth is usually defined as an origin
story. For example, in Egyptian mythology the sycamore tree looks the way it does
because it is home to the goddess Hathor, the Lady of the Sycamore. In Norse
mythology, thunder is recognized as Thor's chariot racing across the heavens.
Etiological myths can offer explanations for why the world is the way it is – as in the
story from Greek mythology of Pandora's Box which explains how evil and suffering
was released into the world – or how a certain institution came to be – as in the Chinese
myth of the goddess Nuwa who kept creating human beings over and over and over
until she grew tired and instituted the practice of marriage so humans could reproduce
themselves. Characters in myths always serve a definite purpose whether they are
explaining marriage or an epic mission or decisive battle.